OK:Dell Inspiron 5160,XP & Linux,Audiovox PC5740,Verizon

Ulmo · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 01 Dec 2005 Posts: 18

All working here:

Latest Microsoft XP Home Edition with all upgrades applied.

Latest stable Gentoo Linux kernel using USB patch for buffer sizes manually specified (see my posts in EVDO Forums) -- works with both either of usbserial and cdc_acm modules as patched and buffer size manually specified (and slower if not patched and specified). Uses pppd via USB as described by KA9Q & here in EVDO Forums (information in EVDO Forums more up to date so look here). Note that signal strength, PRL, and other stuff (activation?) are not known to be supported while connected; you can get signal strength when not connected (see my posts). So far, no one here knows how to find out the PRL, and we are not sure if it can be upgraded via terminal mode but we think we know how. Please do try updating PRL this way but before and after check XP to verify that it did it -- anyway, all this stuff works in XP in VZ Access Manager -- possibly XP totally unneeded, but in worst case scenereo, XP only necessary for activation and PRL updates. See posts in this forum about possible approaches to activate in non-Microsoft environment (there was one post claiming it can be done and explaining/showing how). Of course, can just activate (or even update PRL) in a stranger's Microsoft box (with VZ Access software or other appropriate software) then put card back into yours, so no big deal either way.

Dell Inspiron 5160 laptop with 1.25GiB RAM and 2.80GHz Intel Pentium 4 CPU.

Audiovox PC5740 is the EV-DO PC Card.

NOTE: I wish I had read EVDO Info first and found out I should have gotten a card that has external antenna capabilities before the return period expired (PC5740 does not support this, although there are breakable diagnostic ports with expensive connectors that might work for this). You should get a better card than this if the cost is minimal (return and exchange for better via here, or $40 upgrade path, or something) if you think you might want external booster antenna capability; this card works fine, but it does not have the external antenna feature. There are a few times I wish I had better antenna quality (including one place I lived for over a decade), so it might be an issue (considering how long I'd be in a spot that needed it and how much it would cost to get the booster antenna and whether I had other connection options at those locations like Wifi & LAN/DSL/cable modem, etc.).

I use Sonic.net's supplied Cisco VPN driver via my Sonic.net account, and it works great both in XP and Linux. I assume the Linux generic VPN would work with Sonic.net too, since others have used it with their Linux systems to Sonic.net. (http://Sonic.net/ accounts include VPN to their VPN system with no additional cost.) I also use the card without VPN, and that works fine too. The VZ Access software in XP interacts with Cisco VPN well in my experience.

Saw 1810kbps in VZ Access Manager once, and expect to see high speed like that in Linux now that I got USB buffer size patch applied and set; speeds nominal.

Michael · Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 7:20 am Post subject:

Thanks for your detailed post(s), they are appreciated and will benefit all those who find it.

I agree 100% about the PC5740.

It is NOT a bad card, however, it is the only card that doesn't have an external antenna port, so if you ever were in a weaker signal area, it is the only card that gives you zero options, since there is not an antenna port.

Unfortunately for consumers that walk into a Verizon (or Sprint) Store, the PC5740 may be the only card they have. They will tell them, the PC5740 is the newest card, and this is actually a true statement. This is unfamiliar technology, so people do not know what questions to ask and think, "it is the newest, it must be the best" and walk out with the card and then after they do some googling and find our sites, they realize the newest isn't really the best.

The PC5740 costs Verizon around $100 LESS than other cards, so when someone buys one of these compared to another card, it helps the companies bottom line.
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